Tom Perriello to Speak at Site of ICE Raid in Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- Democratic candidate for governor Tom Perriello will speak Wednesday at Fairfax County's Rising Hope Mission Church, the site of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid.

The candidate will outline his plan for protecting immigrants and fighting the Trump administration's agenda in a roundtable discussion at 1 p.m. The discussion will be moderated by immigration attorney Hassan Ahmad. The church is located at 8220 Russell Rd in Alexandria.

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If elected, Perriello vows to do everything in his power to stop ICE raids like the one in Alexandria. In February, ICE officials arrested a man leaving a hypothermia shelter at the church. Members of the faith community and other activists have criticized that the raid occurred near sensitive locations like churches.

Perriello has spoken out on protecting immigrants since he announced his campaign in January. That same month he met DREAMers and advocates a little over a week since Trump entered office.

During his term as Congressman, Perriello voted for the DREAM Act that failed to pass in 2010 and rallied support for President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans executive orders.

Related: Virginia Governor's Race: Guide to Voting and Candidates

Perriello is running against Lieutenant Gov. Ralph Northam in the June 13 Democratic primary. Gov. Terry McAuliffe is not eligible to run for re-election due to term limits under Virginia law.

The three Republican candidates, former RNC Chair Ed Gillespie, Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chair Corey Stewart and State Senator Frank Wagner, have expressed support for cracking down on illegal immigration. The Virginia gubernatorial election will take place on Nov. 7.

For those interested in attending the discussion, tickets are available here.

Image via Steve Helber/Associated Press